be a motion granting leave to withdraw. This motion cannot be debated or amended, and if permission is granted and the motion is withdrawn the effect is the same as if it had not been made. A motion once made and seconded belongs to the whole house and may not be withdrawn if a majority of the house desire to continue the consideration of it.

91. Appeal From the Decision of the Chair. Any member who is dissatisfied with the decision of the chair may appeal from that decision. If the appeal is not seconded it fails, but if the appeal is seconded, the chair states the question at once, repeating his ruling and stating briefly his reason for the same if he desires, and asks, "Shall the decision of the chair stand as the decision of the house?" If there is a tie vote, the decision is sustained. An appeal from the decision of the chair cannot be amended, and if it relates only to transgressions of the rules of the assembly, indecorum, or the priority of business, or if it is made while the previous question is pending it is undebatable. In other matters limited debate is permitted, members speaking briefly, and no member

speaking more than once.

92. Points of Order. A point of order may be raised by any member; and the chair will recognize a member rising for this purpose even when another member has the floor. Such a member addressing the chair should say, "I rise to a point of order.” The chair should answer, "The gentleman will state his point of order." The point of order being stated, the chair will rule whether the point is well taken. If the point of order relates to the right of a member to introduce a given motion, the sustaining of the point of order declares the motion out of order and the member will resume his seat. If the point of order relates to indecorum in speech, the member against whom the

point of order is raised may continue to speak after the point of order has been decided against him, but must desist from offensive remarks and may be required to retract them before he proceeds and may not have the privilege of the floor until he has made reparation.

XI. QUESTIONS OF PRIVILEGE.

93. An Important Distinction. Questions of privilege are not the same as privileged questions.

94. What Are Privileged Questions? Privileged questions are those which from their nature must be permitted to be acted upon in advance of the main question. They are of six classes, and excepting the motion to adjourn have already been considered as subsidiary motions, namely: To adjourn, including the more highly privileged motion to fix the time to which to adjourn; the previous question, and motions to limit or extend debate; to lay on table; to postpone, either indefinitely or definitely; to commit, and to amend. As here stated they are in the order of their privilege.

95. What Are Questions of Privilege? Questions of privilege are those which concern the rights of the house or of its members. And as personal rights are more sacred than those of business, so questions of privilege are more highly privileged than privileged questions.

96. Questions of Personal Right. A member who feels that his personal rights have been infringed upon, or that he has been unjustly accused or misunderstood may rise to a question of privilege, and having stated the question, the chair will rule or may call upon the house to determine whether it shall hear the member further. Such a question is in order even when another member has the floor, if it relates directly to words which he has just spoken, or to a matter so grave and so serious that injustice would be done by delay.

In

97. Questions of the Rights of the Assembly. any grave matter affecting the rights or dignity of the assembly, a question of privilege may be raised, and the house will determine whether the situation is so serious that it will attend to the matter then or at some later time, or not at all.

98. Precedence in Questions of Privilege: In questions of privilege "those affecting the rights of the assembly collectively, its safety, dignity and the integrity of its proceedings" take precedence over questions of "the rights, reputation and conduct of members individually." For instance, if a member were to rise to a question of privilege, and should insult the assembly, the consideration of his own misconduct would have higher privilege than that of the injury of which he complained.

99. Restrictions of Questions of Privilege. It is hard to set definite limits to questions of privilege. A personal explanation is not a question of privilege, though the house may so regard it if it desire, particularly if the explanation be an apology, or offered manifestly in the interests of peace. The right to rise to a question of privilege does not entitle a member with a grievance to interrupt important business with his complainings, nor to indulge in violent language nor tedious harangue. The theory of questions of privilege is that individual rights are so sacred that a member must not suffer by reason of the machinery of the assembly; and therefore in case of real grievance he may be heard briefly and courteously, even when no motion is before the house; or if the case be more urgent, while other business is pending; and if the matter be a wrong through the words of a member who is speaking, then even while that member has the floor. But this large liberty is limited in many ways,

and the house will not fail to hold a member responsible for any abuse of high privilege.

100. To Whom Questions of Privilege Are Addressed. A question of privilege must be addressed to the chair, who, as soon as the question is stated, will decide whether it is a question of privilege or not. If he decides that it is not a question of privilege, the discussion continues at the point where it was interrupted.

The moderator, as representing the assembly, may assert a privilege on behalf of the house, and refuse to recognize a motion that manifestly is impertinent or trivial. Pells' "Decisions" says, "If Mr. Speaker deems the motion an abuse of the rules of the house, he declines to put it."

This privilege is subject to appeal.

101. Leave to Continue Speaking After Indecorum. If a member is called to order for improper words, and being called to order immediately desists, unless the offense is flagrant he may be permitted to proceed. But if any one objects to his continuing he cannot continue without a favorable vote of the assembly. The motion requires no second and is not debatable; except that the member objecting briefly and without argument may state what the words appear to imply, and the member making the remark that has given offense may accept or deny the implication, or withdraw the words. If the explanation is satisfactory, the member may proceed. If the objecting member persists in his objection, and the member speaking asks to proceed, the chair shall immediately put the question, "Shall the member be given leave to proceed?" A majority vote shall determine his right to continue.

102. Questions Incident to Questions of Privilege. A question of privilege carries with it a proper dis